New Delhi: India and Japan have agreed to begin operations on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) corridor using an indigenous high-speed train,
while Japan’s next-generation E10 Shinkansen is still under development. The move follows the rapid progress of the construction of India’s first bullet train project, whose first section will open in 2027. The E10 trainset is likely to be delivered to Japan in the early 2030s.
The announcement follows doubts about the direction of the project expressed by some Japanese railway experts, especially the departure from Japan’s exclusive signalling technology by India. These issues reflect variations in methods and procurement processes, but the recent agreement between the two governments indicates that both are determined to see the project through and to continue to develop long-term railway cooperation.
India and Japan agree on interim operating plan
India will run the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train line initially on a train developed by local companies, per the latest agreement between the two nations. The successor to the E5 Shinkansen, the E10 series is still in development and expected to be delivered in the early 2030s.
The agreement is meant to help the project to be up and running as soon as possible, rather than waiting for the new Japanese trainsets, officials said. In the year since the project began, construction has progressed significantly, and a phased rollout in 2027 will be more achievable.
Japanese experts raise questions over project changes
India’s Bullet Train Project to Begin With Indigenous Train as Japan’s E10 Arrives in 2030s.
The criticism comes from railway engineers in Japan who have been connected with the development. Delhi-based railway consultant Isao Tsujimura, in an opinion article in Yahoo News Japan, said the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (M-AHSR) project had gradually deviated from the original Shinkansen model that was agreed upon in 2015.
In a blog post and on X, railway engineer Hideki Makihara also raised doubts on India’s evolving technical needs, separately, saying he had worked on the project in the past. He said that the progress had been delayed due to the number of changes in policies and procurement, and the original structure of India-Japan’s cooperation had changed.
Signalling technology remains a key point of debate
Both engineers questioned the Indian Railways’ reported adoption of the European Train Control System Level-2 (ETCS-L2) instead of Japan’s DS-ATC signalling system. They said that the world-renowned safety record of the Shinkansen is closely tied to the integrated signalling technology and asserted that this modification effectively prevented the use of Japanese signalling equipment on the corridor.
It shows, however, that India is also moving towards internationally accepted signalling standards that will be certifiable independently and may be interoperable with high-speed networks in the future as part of ETCS-L2. The shift signals India’s efforts to strike a balance between technology transfer and enhanced interoperability and indigenous capacity building.
Focus shifts toward indigenous high-speed rail
Makihara also voiced concerns regarding the Indian development and certification of a high-speed train in the stipulated time. He wondered if domestic manufacturers had enough experience in developing a train that could be safely operated at 320 kmph and if there might be a need for them to continue sourcing critical systems from overseas.
Despite this, India’s move is in line with its overall drive to nurture the manufacturing industry, which followed the expansion of the Vande Bharat programme. Success in bringing in the indigenous train would cut down on the long-term reliance on imported rolling stock and would enable Japan to share the expertise of the new E10 Shinkansen. In the latest deal, the two nations are still referring to the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train as a strategic partnership and not a deadlock.
